NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Presentation skills: Non-verbal and verbal communication Body language: Eye contact
Try to make eye contact evenly around the room Try not to dart from one person to another 2-3 seconds (neither ‘shifty' nor ‘staring') Avoid excessive contact with:
those who attract you those you want to impress those who ‘hang on every word' those who appear uninterested.
Body language: Posture and movement Be visible (don't hide behind the lectern) Stand (or sit) upright and balanced Smile
Look (and feel) energetic Move freely
Don't rock, pace, fold arms
Avoid unintentional distractors such as playing with a pen, jingling coins, nervous gestures.
Verbal communication: Voice
Use it to convey enthusiasm and energy
Speak to the whole room (no need to shout - use abdomen) Vary your speed (faster=enthusiasm; slower=important) Should be well modulated.
‘Non-verbal' verbals
Try to avoid ‘umms', ‘errs', and redundant words (‘like'; ‘you know'; 'okay?')
Habitual ‘non-verbals' may suggest to your audience that you don't know your subject Try recording yourself to pick up any unwanted speech habits.